Steel lumber



w. c. JoNl-:s

STEEL 1.1111111111'A l Fina 0111.126, 1925. asuma-sheet 2 Patented Jan.22, 1929.

UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WALTER CLYDE JONES, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS; WALTER CLYDE JONES, JRL, EX-ECUTOR OF SAID WALTER CLYDE JONES, DECEASED.

STEEL' LUMBER.

Application filed October 26, 1925. Serial No. 64,767.

My invention relates to-steel lumber and it has special reference to`steel lumber' combination sections that are utilized in a buildingconstruction.

More particularly my present invention reiiers to steel lumberycombination sections that may serve in a building construction as asubstitute for Wooden joists, Wooden rafters, Wooden studding, Woodenlathing, Wooden liooring and the like and, at the same time, perform thefunctions required ot such corresponding Wooden members in a much moresatisfactory manner. As a result of my present invention, a buildingconstruction employing my steel lumber may be made substantiallyireproot or, at least, the lire haz ard thereotA may be reduced to aminimum.

Also, the steel lumberv combination section ot my present invention maybe conveniently and economically manufactured from a plurality ofmembers that are permanently ser cured together at the factory or beforeinstallation to form a self contained combination sect-ion that can bereadily handled, shipped and installed Without employing any skilledlabor, such as skilled metal Workers and the like, My steel lumber isfabricated into unitary sect-ions prior to installation which areproperly iitted and matched be fore installation thereby eliminating allfield Work and mistakes and Waste ot time incidental thereto.

To compare specilically Wooden lumber' members that have heretoforeentered into a building construction with the steel lumber combinationsections ot my present invention, I may state that Wooden lumbersections, such as joists, rafters, studs, lathing, 'flooring and thelike, are made in separate and individual pieces, each requiring aseparate manufacturing operation, as well as separate handling' andassembling in order to incorporate them properly into a buildingconstruction. Moreover, the matching` and fitting et such Wooden lumbersections required expert labor and considerable field Work. The steellumber of my present invention constitutes a built-up section that mayserve as a combination studding portion and interior lathing andexterior lathingportions, or as a combination joist port-ion and lathingand riiooring portions, or any other suitable combination ot membersentering` into abuilding constructiom'such as a com` bination relativelythick or heavy Weight supporting portion and relatively thin or lightsustaining plate portions.

For a better understanding oi the nature, scope and characteristicfeatures ot 'my present invention, reference may be had to the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a crosssectional view ot a steel lumber combination section embodying one formof my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a building construction, such as is illustratedin Fig. 3. in which the lumber sections of Fig. l areassembled together;y

Fig'. 3 is a cross sectional view ot the building construct-ion shown inFig. 2 in Whichthe steel lumber combination sections ot Fig. l areincorporated;

Fig. 4 is a plan view .taken along theline iw-4 .of Fig'. 3 showing' theattaching devices for securing together the adjacent lumber sections otmy invention;

Fi 5 is a view in elevation oli an attaching device, such as isillustrated in Fig. Il;

Fig'. 6 is a view partially in elevation and partially in sectionshowing a modified form of an attaching device;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of a steel. lumber combination sectionembodying another torm of my present invention; A

Fig. S is a cross sectional View of a steel lui'nber section embodyingstill another modilication oit my presentinvention; and

Fig'. 9 is a cross sectional view ot a building construction in whichthe steel lumber combination sections of Figs. 7 and 8 are incorporated.

Referring to Fig. l, the double U-shaped steel lumber section hereinillustrated comprises two U-shaped integrally i'ormed steel members land 2 that are placed back `to back so that a portion 3 o't' the sectionl is co-extensi've With a portion t ot' the member 2. The portions 3 and4 are permanently secured to each other by means of spotnvelds Any othersuitable means for permanently securing the two members l and 2 to eachother may be substitut-ed tor the spot Welds 5. The member l comprisesthe aforementioned central portion 3 which is a relatively thick portionandtrom Which relatively thin sustaining plate portions 6 and 7 extendlat erally. The sustaining plate portion 7 .may

be perforated, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 in order that it may serve alathing, either exteriorly or interiorly tor the building construction.The sustaining plate portion 6 is Shown as being solid and, as such, mayserve as a flooring memberI ot a building construction or as an exteriorsiding. The sustaining plate portion 6 is provided at its outer edgewith an oil'set portion 6a and, similarly, the sustaining' plate portion7 is provided at its outer edge with an offset portion 7a.

In the specilic example illustrated in this ligure, the member 2 maycomprise the relatively thick central portion il, a laterally projectingsustaining plate portion 8 and a second laterally extending sustainingplate portion 9, the latter being perforated in order that it may servethe same purpose as the sustaining plate portion 7.

rl`he built-up section, when the portions 3 and 4f are permanentlysecured to each other, constitutes a double U-shaped sell containedsteel lumber combination section having a relatively thick or heavyweight supporting studding portion that is formed by the portions 3 andl and laterally extending sustaining plate portions 6 and 8, 'l' and 9,that extend laterally from the studding portion in both directions andadjacent to its edge.

The term studding portion as used herein comprises in its means suchmembers as joists` studs and the like that are adapted to serve as theweight-supporting elements or members of a building construction.Likewise, the terms sustaining plate portion, lathing portion, flooringand siding are used synonymously and comprise in their meaning lathing,either internal or external, on the ceiling or side walls, or flooringor siding and the like, which elements of a buildin g construction arerelatively thin and light in weight. in comparision to the relativelythick or heavy weight supporting studs or joists and are of sufficientwidth, in conjunction with corresponding members of adjoining lumbersections, to span the space between the studding portions ot adjacentlumber sections.

In conformity with standard dimensions and spacings ot wooden lumbermembers employed in a building construction, the longitudinal dimensionsot the steel lumber combination section of Fig. l, as well as thecombination sections illustrated in the other ligures ot the drawings,may be made up into any suitable lengthsnamely l2 feet, 14 feet, 16 feetand the like, corresponding to the standard lengths in which Woodenlumber members that enter into a building construction have beenfurnished in the past. Similarly, the steel lumber combination sectionsherein illustrated and described may have their stu'dding portions soproportioned that the height thereoi' is from 4 inches to 6 inches and,when built up as herein described, are

about y, thick. The sustaining plate portions 6, 7, 8 and 9 may beapproximately 35 thick and from 8 to l0 inches wide.

In a building construction employing Wooden lumber, it is customary tospace the studding, such as the joists, studs or weight supportingmembers, on approximately 16 to 18H centers and, consequently, l havesuggested 8 inches to l() inches as suitable transverse dimensions forthe relatively thin sustaining plate portions 6, T, 8 and 9 for thereason that when the steel lumber combination sections are 'positionedside-by-side in a building construction, the sustaining plate portions(S and 7 may span substantially one hall et the distance between thestudding portions ot adjacent lumber sections.

In view ot the tact that the latliing portions or flooring portionsbetween adjacentstudding portions comprise two contiguous sustainingplate portions, each extending approximately one haltl of the distancebetween adjacent studding portions, it is necessary for the adjoiningsustaining plate portions to be secured to one another, preferably byoverlapping them, as hereinafter to be described. Since the usual depthot' wooden studs or joists embodied in a building strucsure may rangetrom 4 to 6, I have suggested a corresponding transverse dimension orheight for the central relatively thick weight supporting studdingportion of my steel lumber combination sections. Of course, it is to beunderstood that I am not to be limited to any arbitrary dimensions orproportions hat l have specilied herein, inasmuch as my steel lumbercombination section is capable ot being made up so as to accommodate anysuitable dimensions that may be desired.

In Figs. 2 and 3 l have illustrated how the steel lumber sections otFig. l may be assembled in a buildingl construction. 'lhc steel lumbercombination sections, such as illustrated in Fig. l, are placedside-by-side. The oli'set portions 6 ot the upper sustaining plateportion 6 receives the outer edge ot the sustaining plate portion 8 etthe ad joining steel lumber combination section. Similarly, the otlsetportion 7 of the lower sustaining plate portion 7 receives the outeredge of the lower sustaining plate portion 9 ot the adjoining steellumber combination section. In this fashion, the sustaining plateportions G, 8 and corresponding portions oit the adjoining lumbersections form a contiguous and substantially coplanar surface that mayserve as a flooring for anupper story. Similarly, the sustaining plateportions 7, 9 and corresponding plate portions ot the adjoining lumbersections may form a contiguous coplanar surface that mayT constitute thelathing for the ceiling ot the story below.

It is to be noted that the adjoining lumber sections are attached to oneanother by means of the attaching devices 10 and in Figs. 4 and 5 I haveshown in detail the construction and employment of these attachingdevices. The sustaining plate portions of the combination sections ofFig. 1 are provided adjacent to their edges at spaced intervals withlongitudinal or elongated openings 11 and, when the steel lumbersections are in assembled position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the edgesof the sustaining` plate portions overlap each other in order that thecorresponding` openings 11 may register with each other. An attachingdevice 12, comprising an heXagonal head 13, a shank 14 and atransversely eX- f tending bar portion 15, is projected through theregistering openings 11 by extending the bar portieri 15 therethrough.By means of the exposed hexagonal head portion 13 the portion 15 ismoved at right angles to its direction of entry through the longitudinalopenings 11. In this-fashion, the outer edges of adjoining platesustaining portions are secured to one another, substantially as shownin Figs. 2 and 3.

From the foregoing it is to be observed that the building constructionof Figs. 2 and 3 made up of a plurality of side-by-side steel lumbercombination sections, each of which constitutes a double U-shapedcentral relatively thick or heavy weight supporting building elementfrom both edges of which sustaining plate port-ions extend in oppositedirections. 'Ihe combination sections are self constituted units builtup from a plurality of members that are permanently secured to-eachother at the factory or beforeinstallation. The combination sections areassembled in a building construction without requiring any fitting ormatching of the sections and, moreover, they are readily attachedto oneanother without requiring any field work prior to installation, or theservices of skilled labor in connection therewith.

In Fig. 7 a steel lumber combination section shown comprising arelatively thick or heavy weight supporting studding portion 16 formedby placing central portions 17 and 18 of two U-shaped elements back toback and securing them permanently to each other in any suitable manner,From the upper edge of the studding portions 16 two sustaining plateportions 19 and 20 project in opposite directions, the former beingprovided with an oifset 19n at its outer end and the latter beingprovided with an offset 2Oa at its outer end. From the lower edge of thestudding portion 16 two sustaining plate portions 21 and 22 project inopposite directions. The sustaining plate portions 21 and 22 may beperforated, as shown, and as such may serve as the lathing in a buildingconstruction. The sustaining plate portions 19 and 20 may constitute anunbroken surface and, as such, may serve as the flooring or siding in abuilding -constructioir rIhe portions 17, 2O and 22 are shown asconstituting a unitary integral section and, similarly, the portions 18,19 and 21. The offsets 19 and 20EL serve the same function as theoffsets 65L and 7 a in the steel lumber combination section illustratedin Fig. 1.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a vmodified form of a steel lumber combinationsection which comprises a relatively thick studding portion 23 formedfrom a single unitary member. Sustaining plate portions 24 and 25 aresecured at the upper edge of the studding portion 23 and projectlaterally therefrom in lopposite directions. Sustaining plate portions26 and 27 are secured to the lower edge of the studding portion 23 andproject laterally therefrom in opposite directions. Each of thesustaining plate portions may be similarly formed from a thin sheet thatis bent at right angles on one of its edges in order to provide a "langesuch as the flange 25a of the sustaining plate portion 25. Thesustaining plate portion 25 may be permanently secured by welding` orotherwise to the studding portion 23. rIhe other sustaining plateportions 24, 26 and 27 may likewise be permanently secured to thestudding portion 23. The sustaining plate portions 26 and 27 areprovided at their outer edges with offset portions 26a and 271,respectively.

In 9 I have shown a building construction in which the alternate steellumber combination sections are built in accordance with the steellumber combination section illustrated in Fig. 7 while the interveningvsteel lumber combination sections are similar to the one shown in Fig.8. These two forms of steel lumber sections are placed side-by-side sothat the outer edge of the sustaining plate portion 25 is received inthe recess 19aL formed in the outer edge of the sustaining plate portion19, while the outer edge of the sustaining plate portion 21 is receivedin the offset portion 27 a formed in the outer edge of the sustainingplate portion 27. In this manner, the upper sustaining plate portionsunite to form a contiguous substantially Vcoplanar surface that mayserve as the iiooring of a building construction. Similarly, the lowersustaining plate portions of the steel lumber combination sections forma contiguous substantially coplanar surface that may serve as lathingfor the ceiling of the story below.

The outer edges of adjoining sustaining plate portions may be secured toeach other by means of attaching devices 29 which are illustrated, indetail, in Fig. 6, to whichreference may now be had. The attachingdevices 29 are in the nature of pins having split bifurcated shanks toform diverging legs 30 and 31. The outer edges of the sustaining plateportions are perforated with elongated openings that are correspondinglylocated in order that the openings will register withA each other whenoverlapping the edges Vof the adjacent sustaining plate portions. They-bifurcated pins 29, having their diverging legs 30 and 3l alreadyformed thereon, are then projected through the registering openings andturned at right angles from their position of entry in order to securepermanently the sustaining plate portions to one another.

From the foregoing' description of my invention, it will be apparentthat l have provided a new form of steel lumber combination sectionwhich may be readily fabricated from a plurality of steel members whichpermits of convenient assembly and incorporation into a building`construction.

wWhile l. have herein shown and described several embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood thatl do not desire to be lin1 ited tothc specific striufture shown and described therein, inasmuch as manymodiiications may be made in my present invention Without departing fromthe spirit and scoj e of the' appended claims.

I claim:

l. A double ll-shaped self-contained per manently organized steel lumbercombination section adaptedfto be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a` relatively thick Weight supporting studdingportion and relatively thin sustaining plate portions extendinglaterally therefrom.

2. fr double U-shaped self-contained permanently organized steel lumbercombination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively thick Weight supporting stud-dingportion, and relatively thin sustaining plate pol'- tions extendinglaterally therefrom, said lumber combination section being built up froma plurality of members that are permanently secured to one another byWelding or other equivalent means.

3. A double U-shaped self-contained permanently organized steel lumbercombination section adaptedV to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively tllick weight supporting studdingportion, and relatively thin sustaining plate por tions extendinglaterally and in opposite directions from said studding portion adjacentto its edges.

t. A double U-shaped self-eontained permanently organized steel lumbercombination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively thick Weight supporting studdingportion, and two relatively thin sustaining plate portions extendinglaterally and in opposite directions adjacent to each edge of saidsustaining portion.

5. A double U-shaped self-contained per ianently organized steel lumbercombination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively thick Weight support-ing studdingportion, and relatively thin sustaining plate portions extendinglaterally therefrom, said combination lumber section being built up fromtwo U-shaped steel lumber sections placed back to back and permanentlysecured to each other.

6. A double Ll-shaped self-contained permanently organized steel lumbereombina tion section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively thick iveight supporting' studdingpor# tion, and relatively thin sustaining plat-e portions eriten'dinglaterally therefrom and each possessing a Width, in conjunction withadjoining lumber sections, to span the space between the studdingportions of adjacent lumber sections.

7. A double U-shapod sel'lcontained per manently organized steel lumbercon'ibination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively' thick Weight supporting studdingportion and relatively thin sustaining plate portions constitutingclosure m embers extending laterally therefrom. i

tl. A double Ushaped self-contained permanently organized steel lumbercombination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively' thick Weight supporting studdingportion, and relatively thin sustaining plate portions constitutingclosure members extending laterally therefrom, said lumber combinationsection being built up from a plurality of members that are permanentlysecured to one another by Welding or other equivalent means.

9. A double U-shaped selfecontained per manently organized steel lumbercombination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a. relatively thick Weight supporting studdingportion, and relatively thin sustaining plate portions constitutingclosure members extending laterally and in opposite directions from saidstudding portion adjacent to its edges.

l0. A double ltJ-shapcd self-contained permanently organized steellumber combination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, con'iprising a relatively thick vveight supportingstudding portion, and relatively thin sustaining plate portionsextending laterally` therefrom and each Width to extend intermediate ofthe space between the studding portions of adjacent lumber sections.

l1. A double U-shaped self-contained permanentlyl organized steel lumbercombination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively thick Weight supporting studdingportion, and relatively thin sustaining plate portions extendinglaterally therefrom, each of said sustaining plate portions possessing aWidth terminating intermediate of the space between the studdingportions of adjacent lumber sections, the corresponding sustaining plateportions of the adjoining lumber sections overlapping each other to spancompletely the space between tbe studding portions of adjacentlumber-sections.

12. A double U-shaped self-contained permanently organized steel lumbercombination section adapted to be fabricated completely beforeinstallation, comprising a relatively thick weiglit supporting` studdingportion and relatively thin sustaining plate portions extendinglaterally therefrom, each of said sustaining plate portions possessing awidtli terminating,intermediate of the space between tlie studdingportions of adjacent lumber sections, the corresponding sustaining plateportions of the adjoining lumber sections overlapping each other to spanthe space between the studding portions of adjacent lumber sections, andmeans for attaching contiguous sustaining plate portions of adjacentlumber sections to eacli other.

13. A building construction comprising side-by-side double U-sbapedsteel lumber combination sections, each combination section adapted tobe fabricated completely and permanent-ly organized before installationand constituting a self-contained unitary combination building elementwhich comprises a relativelyy thick weight supporting studding portionand relatively thin sustaining plate portions extending laterallytlierefrom and adjacent to the edges of said studding portion, saidsustaining plate por tions being of sufiicient width, in conjunctionwith corresponding` plate portions of tbe adjoining lumber sections tospan the spaces between the studding portions of adjacent lumbersections, tlie said combination lumber sections, when in assembledpositions, having their sustaining plate portions contiguous and beingsecured at their outer ends to the sustaining plate portions of theadjoining lumber sections.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WALTER oLYnE JoNns.

